


Reach for my Hand

by Freshfresas



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Aged up characters, Anxiety, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Hop Protection Squad, Hop is a precious cinnamon roll, I love references, I'll add more characters/tags as i go, Reader tries their best, Self-Esteem Issues, Slow Burn, Spoilers, Sword and Shield Spoilers, and is also the mom friend, how do you tag, just in case, no beta we die like men, ocs appear but aren't relevant to the story, video game references
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:34:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24432169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freshfresas/pseuds/Freshfresas
Summary: You've just moved to a sleepy, little town called Postwick where you meet your energetic neighbor, Hop, who's adamant that you join the Gym Challenge with him. Thus begins your journey through the Galar region featuring shenanigans out the wazoo and maybe even some romance. This is going to be one helluva ride. (A retelling of SwSh's story but with my take on it.)
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Original Character(s), Dande | Leon/Original Female Character(s), Dande | Leon/Reader, Hop (Pokemon)/Original Character(s), Hop (Pokemon)/Original Female Character(s), Hop (Pokemon)/Reader
Comments: 17
Kudos: 69





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, I want to say hello to whoever is reading this; I hope your day is awesome!
> 
> Second, I wrote this (after being inspired by all the lovely Leon/Reader fics; shout out to you guys!) with a reader insert in mind but the original draft was in third person since I'm not big on second person so the reader insert is my OC, Minette. I am going to write this in second person, however, to make it more immersive and I left OC's features ambiguous so you can put yourself in her shoes.
> 
> Third, I'm nervous about uploading this since I haven't uploaded anything since the good old days of FanFiction, but my friends gave me the courage to do it and hopefully I'm able to entertain you guys during this quarantine!

You were sound asleep when something soft and furry tickled your nose. You twitched then slowly opened one eye. Red eyes gazed back at you. As soon as the Pokémon realized you were awake, it gave a small yip and began covering your face in licks. You laughed, gently pushing it off you.

“I’m up, I’m up.”

Fennekin hopped off your bed and padded toward the door, glancing back expectantly. You rolled your eyes at the display, reluctantly leaving the warmth of your sheets and reaching for your hairbrush to tame your bedhead. Fennekin led you into the kitchen where your mom was making scrambled eggs. She turned at her daughter’s appearance, smiling warmly.

“Good morning.”

“Morning!” you chirped, stepping around her to grab a mug from the cabinet.

“Did you sleep well? You were out like a light.”

“Yeah, the jet-lag caught up to me and the bed is really comfortable.”

Your mom scooped some eggs onto a plate and handed it to you. “I’m glad to hear that.”

When your coffee was done, you took the plate and sat down at the dining table. “We gonna knock out the last of the boxes?” you asked.

They had settled into their new home in the Galar region late last night. You had helped your mom unpack as best you could before fatigue hit. You missed Kalos and even more the friends you had left behind, but it was a little refreshing having the opportunity to start anew in a different region.

There was only one problem.

Out of all the places your parents could have chosen to move to, they had chosen to settle down in a small farming town called Postwick. You had cried a little bit on the inside.

“No, that’s okay.” Your mom talking broke you out of your thoughts. “I’ve got the rest of the boxes. Why don’t you go out and get to know the town?”

You finished the last of your eggs and coffee before replying, “ _Maman_ , no offense, but we moved to a farming town. I don’t think there’s much to see.”

“Go. Meet our neighbors, find some friends.”

“Fine, fine.”

You washed your dirty dishes before going back to your room to get ready for the day. “Alright, Rotom, let’s see what Postwick has to offer, hm?” you told the Pokémon living inside her smartphone.

There was a pleased _brrtz_ , making you chuckle. As you were shucking on a shirt, something caught your attention from the corner of your eye. You approached your bedroom window while making a mental note to put up some blinds soon because curtains could only do so much, and looked out toward the two-story house down the road from your house. Your eyes landed on a purple-haired boy who seemed about your age sitting in his yard with a white, fluffy, round Pokémon on its back in front of him. You watched as he tied something around one of the Pokémon’s hooves, and you smiled a little at the cute display. He seemed nice enough, maybe you could stop by and introduce yourself?

With that thought in mind, you left the house, waving at your mom as you went. You stood on the steps for a bit, looking over the grassy fields, hills, and mountains in the distance. Butterfree flitted about above you while the fluffy, white Pokémon lazily grazed. There was a small garden in your front yard where some Budew were hanging out among the flowers. You quickly took out your phone to snap some pictures. Once you were satisfied, you headed down the steps. A nearby fence caught your attention, a foggy forest beyond it. You approached curiously, looking out into the undergrowth ahead of you. You went to go push the gate open, but made a small, confused sound when it didn’t budge.

“You can’t go in there.”

You jumped, whirling around with a hand on your chest. A girl with golden-brown hair, blue eyes, and freckles adoring her round face stood behind you. She smiled big.

“You’re not from here, are you? Everyone in Postwick knows the Slumbering Weald is off-limits.”

“Why?” you questioned.

“Because a big, scary Pokémon lives in there!” The girl extended her fingers to mimic claws, making you laugh. She held out her hand. “Hiya, the name’s Prija!”

You shook her hand. “Minette.”

“Come on, I’ll show you around!” Prija told you excitedly.

She turned away but before you followed her, you took once last glance toward the forest. A pair of yellow eyes were watching you, but when you blinked they were gone. You suppressed a shudder and a hurried after Prija.

“So where are you from?” she asked when you caught up.

“The Kalos region, I lived in Lumiose City.” You paused in front of the two-story house; the boy from earlier was nowhere to be seen.

Prija glanced over. “Lucky! Your neighbor is the Champion!”

“…Who?”

“That’s right, you just moved here. His name is Leon. Super gorgeous. They call him the Unbeatable Champion!”

You snorted. “He sounds full of himself.”

“Wouldn’t you be if you hadn’t been beaten once since you were ten years old?”

“No. You never know when someone will show up to knock you off your high horse.”

Prija grinned smugly. “Oh? And will that person be you?”

You shook your head. “I’m not a Trainer.”

“Never too late to be one,” Prija gestured around them. “So Postwick is what you’d expect from a farming town, lots of fields and Wooloo.”

You tipped your head to one side. “Wooloo?”

“Those really fluffy Pokémon grazing in the fields; they’re _so_ cute.” She led them past patches of grass where you could see wild Pokémon flitting about. “This is Wedgehurst.”

The town ahead wasn’t a bustling city like you were used to, but you were glad there were things to do. Prija showed you where the Pokémon Research Lab and Pokémon Center were. There was a train station where they could travel to the other cities in Galar and a berry shop where Prija explained you could purchase berries to make different kinds of curry or feed to your Pokémon. You perked up when Prija showed you the boutique. There were cute outfits on display, and it took all your self-control not to run into the shop and spend all your money. The sun had set by the time Prija was finished showing you around. The two of you parted with the promise to meet up tomorrow. You headed back to your house, eager to tell your mom you had already made a friend.

Maybe life here wouldn’t be so bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obligatory reference to Twilight Wings because why not?
> 
> So, that was the first chapter. I'm sorry if it's kinda boring; wanted to try and expand on Postwick and Wedgehurst some. But I hoped you liked it either way! Constructive criticism is welcome!
> 
> (Shout out to FE Three Houses for the fic title because it was hard thinking of one)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, look we're actually starting the game now! And a wild Hop and Leon appear!

**Chapter 2**

Walking into your house, you paused in the entryway. Your mother was in the kitchen and beside her was an unfamiliar woman. The woman was tan with long purple hair. They turned at your appearance.

“Sweetheart, come meet our neighbors.” your mother said. “They live right down the path.”

You walked over with a smile. “Hello, your house is beautiful.”

“Thank you, dear. Hop, come introduce yourself!” the woman called over her shoulder.

You perked up when the same purple-haired boy from earlier appeared. _His name is Hop? Heh, cute._ you thought. He greeted you enthusiastically and you ended up leaving your mothers in the kitchen to sit in the living room. Hop was really curious about Kalos and your mother’s Fennekin so you happily answered any question he asked. As you chatted, you found that you really liked Hop. He was cheerful and earnest. He told you how his dream was to beat his brother and become the new Champion. His eyes lit up whenever he talked about Leon which you couldn’t help but find adorable. He pulled up one of his brother’s exhibition matches on his Rotom phone to show you.

_I was right, he is full of himself._ you thought as you watched Leon strike what Hop informed you was his Charizard pose.

You watched a few more matches before Hop and his mother left. You told your mother about Prija who seemed happy to hear that her daughter was already making friends. The next few days after settling down in Postwick, you spent your time helping your mother out in the garden or visiting your friends. Hop introduced you to his Wooloo and it was love at first sight. You gushed over the Pokémon every chance you got. Your phone background was now of his Wooloo striking a cute pose.

You were currently curled up on the couch with Fennekin watching _The Walking Dead_. You leaned forward when Maggie confessed that she was pregnant.

“I knew it,” you whispered to yourself.

“Knew what?”

You jumped, almost falling off the couch. Fennekin barked with alarm while you calmed your beating heart. Hop stood behind you trying not to laugh. You flicked him off.

“Hop, you can’t just hop into someone’s house!” You smirked. “Heh. Get it? _Hop_ into someone’s house?”

He rolled his eyes. “Haha. You’re such a comedian. Your mum let me in, by the way. You weren’t answering your phone.”

You checked your phone to see the missed calls and texts from him. “Sorry,” you said with a sheepish smile.

“Come on, today is the big day!”

Furrowing your eyebrows, you asked, “What’s today?”

Hop looked at you as if you had grown two heads. “You’ve already forgotten? Lee’s coming to visit, so grab a bag because he always brings presents!”

“O-Okay…”

He grinned. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

You continued sitting on the couch for a little bit longer after Hop left with his Wooloo dutifully following behind. Did you really need to meet his brother? Hop seemed so excited for you to meet him though. You sighed. Looks like you were doing this.

“Oh, Minette, you need a bag, right?” your mother questioned. She smiled excitedly. “I have just the one for you, hold on a moment.” She disappeared upstairs before coming back with a brown knapsack in her hands. “Here you are, this was the same bag I used back when I was a Trainer.”

Your eyes widened. “Are you sure this is okay?”

Your mother nodded then squealed when you put it on. “Oh, don’t you look a treat!” She quickly snapped a picture making her daughter groan. “It’s so your father can see you, he’d be so proud if he were here!”

You rolled your eyes good-naturally. “Well, I’m off!”

Your motherwaved with a smile. Hop was waiting for you at the bottom of the steps and you joined his side. You paused when you spotted a nearby Wooloo rolling into the fence keeping people out of the forest and pointed it out.

“Hey, you silly, Wooloo!” Hop called over. “I see what you’re up to. Don’t go using Tackle on the fencing! Now, you listen: no going past that fence. No! Everyone knows there’s a big, scary Pokémon living in the Slumbering Weald.”

The Wooloo gave a confused cry and you giggled. Your friend turned back to you with a mischievous glint in his golden eyes.

“How about it, Minette? Let’s race. Bet I can make it to my house first, what with you lugging around that big, old bag!”

You narrowed your eyes. “Oh yeah?”

He leaned forward until you were nose-to-nose. “Yeah.”

Hop started when you unexpectedly booped him on the nose. He gave an indignant shout as you raced off down the path toward his house. You yelled out an apology when you nearly barreled into a man taking a stroll. You whooped when you reached the front door of Hop’s house.

“C-Cheater!” Hop gasped when he caught up.

You stuck your tongue out at him. He playfully nudged you then slipped past you into his home. You followed him toward the kitchen where his mother was washing dishes.

“Mum, is he here?!” Hop eagerly asked her.

She turned around, smiling when she spotted you. “Hello, Minette, dear. And he’s still not here yet. For the hundredth time…” She sighed. “Honestly, Hop, you must learn some patience. He’s probably only just arrived at the station in Wedgehurst.”

“Then that’s where we’re going,” he declared. “You know Lee is hopeless with directions. I’ll make sure he doesn’t get lost along the way.”

_Isn’t their house just a straight shot down from the station?_ _How would he get lost?_ you wondered.

You managed to wave at Hop’s mother before your friend grabbed your hand and tugged you along. A small crowd had gathered as they neared Wedgehurst. You spotted Prija nearby with stars in her blue eyes. You and Hop hung around at the back of the crowd, and you stood up on your tiptoes to see through the people when excited chatter started up. Stepping out of the station was the champion himself with his partner, Charizard. Leon gave a toothy grin reminiscent of Hop. _Cute,_ you thought then shook your head. Where had that come from? Loud cheers filled the air as Leon did his Charizard pose. You spared a glance toward Prija to make sure your friend hadn’t fainted from all the excitement. She was still standing thankfully.

“Lee! Hey, Lee!” Hop called, jumping up and down while waving his arms.

“Hop!”

The crowd parted to let Leon through. Hop threw himself at his brother who caught him in his arms with a laugh and they shared a big hug. You almost contracted diabetes from how sweet the moment was. _Cute!_ Leon pulled back to look Hop up and down.

“Look at you, Hop! I reckon you’ve grown…exactly an inch and a quarter since the last time I saw you.”

Hop nodded with a grin. “Bingo! That’s the sort of sharp eye that’s kept you undefeated for so long, eh, Lee?”

“And these bright eyes over here…”

You froze when Leon turned to you. _Is he talking to me? Oh shit, he’s talking to me!_ Now that he was up close, you could see how his clothes hugged his muscles and Arceus, his pecs! His golden eyes were warm and kind as was his smile. You felt yourself blushing.

_Oh no, he’s hot!_

You didn’t need to look to know Prija was sending a shit-eating grin your way.

“You must be Minette, am I right?” Leon’s question broke you out of your thoughts. “I’ve heard loads about you from my little brother.”

Wait, what?

You shot a quick glance at Hop who smiled innocently. Leon held his out his hand and you shook it.

“Y-Yep, that’s me! Minette! Uh…” you trailed off, internally screaming from how awkward you were being. “Hi.”

Luckily, Hop came to your rescue.

“Come on, Lee! And you too, Minette! Bet I can beat both of you back home!” he challenged then booked it out of there before you could reply.

Leon shook his head with a fond smile. “That Hop, always wanting to be the best. With a proper rival, I bet he’d push himself to become something truly special.” He turned back to the crowd and struck his pose again. “Well, everyone, I bid you farewell for today! But don’t you fret, I’ll always be around to make sure everyone in Galar can have a champion time!”

You hung back while the brothers raced each other back home. Prija slid up to you.

“Well, well, well. Someone looks a little starstruck.” your friend teased. “Can you get me an autograph? Please?”

“I-I can’t show my face around him anymore…” You face-palmed with a groan. “I was so embarrassing!”

“You were adorkable,” soothed Prija.

“That doesn’t help!”

“Come on, deep breaths. You’ve got this. Just show him the Minette charm.”

She nodded. “The Minette charm, okay… Wait. I don’t have the Minette charm!”

Prija laughed and gave her friend’s shoulder a soft squeeze. “You better get going, his Charizard is waiting for you.”

Sure enough, the large Pokémon stood a little ways away looking at you expectantly.

“Remember that autograph!” Prija called after you as you followed Charizard back to Hop’s house. He ran up to you when you walked up the path.

“There you are! I thought you had gotten lost!” He hooked his arm around yours and pulled you over to where Leon stood. “You promised us a present so out with it, Lee! You brought us Pokémon. You did, didn’t you? I know you did!”

You looked over at Leon in surprise. He put his hands on his hips with a smile.

“Right then! The greatest gift from the greatest Champion.”

_He’s gorgeous, but still so full of himself!_

“It’s show time, everyone!”

Leon pulled out three poké balls and tossed them onto the playing field. There was a brilliant flash of light and your eyes widened. Before you were three of the cutest Pokémon you’d ever seen. There was the grass-type, Grookey, the fire-type, Scorbunny, and the water-type, Sobble. You watched, elated, as they explored the world around them.

“Alright, everyone, line up!” Leon called to them. When they did so, he turned back to you and Hop. “Which will you choose?”

“You can pick first,” Hop told you. “I’ve already got my Wooloo, after all.”

“Huh? Me?” You shuffled your feet. “A-Are you sure?”

You met Leon’s eyes and he gave a small nod. “Of course! My dream is to help make the Trainers of the Galar region strong as they can be. Choose a partner for yourself, and become one of those strong Trainers, won’t you?”

Hop gave a toothy grin. “You heard, Lee!”

Smiling big, you gave each brother a quick hug before scurrying over to the Pokémon. Now you had to make a difficult decision: which of these cuties would you pick?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Walking Dead exists in the Pokemon world sorry I don't make the rules lol jk.
> 
> Another chapter down! Thank you for the comments and kudos on the last chapter, it means a lot!
> 
> Tell me which starter you picked! *^* I picked Sobble, heehee~


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, y'all excited for the Isle of Armor next Wednesday?! I am! 
> 
> Enjoy this next chapter! ^^

**Chapter 3**

Three beady eyes stared up at you curiously. It took all your self-control not to squeal. You couldn’t help it though, they were just so cute! You were having a hard time choosing which Pokémon you wanted. You weren’t much of a Trainer, but you knew enough that picking Sobble would be your best bet since it had a type advantage against Leon’s Charizard; that is, if you ever got good enough to face off against him. That would be too easy though, and you always liked a challenge. Grookey gave a small happy cry when you knelt down in front of him. You smiled, extending your hand invitingly. The Pokémon curiously approached and sniffed it. Your mind was made up when Grookey suddenly climbed up your shoulder to perch atop your head. You giggled.

“So you’re going with Grookey?” Hop asked as he walked over.

You nodded, too busy cooing over your new partner to reply. Your friend grinned.

“Nice one!” His gaze switched between Scorbunny and Sobble. “I think I’ll go with…Sobble! You’re mine!” His grin widened. “I’m aiming to be the next Champion, so be ready! You and I are going to do some serious training.”

Sobble closed its eyes happily and gave a cry of content. It turned to Wooloo when he went over to greet his new friend. The remaining Pokémon, Scorbunny, looked unsure of what to do. Your heart dropped. The poor dear. Maybe if you asked nicely, Leon will let you take it? You watched as the man approached Scorbunny and knelt down.

“You’ll come with me,” he said with a warm smile that made you feel butterflies. “Charizard will show you the ropes. He’s strict, but real strong and real kind too.”

Scorbunny hopped up with a happy cry then began running circles around him. Leon chuckled at his new Pokémon’s enthusiasm. You felt yourself blushing the more you watched him interact with the fire-type and looked away.

So maybe…maybe Prija was right about him being attractive.

The back door opened and out came Hop and Leon’s mom with your own mom right behind her.

“Alright, enough of this Trainer nonsense for one night. Dinner’s ready, children. Bring along your Pokémon and let’s eat!” the brothers’s mom announced.

She ended up going all out since Leon was home. It was a nice night for a barbecue so they decided to eat outside. You tried to help the mothers with the cooking, but they shooed you away with smiles. Hop and Leon were catching up nearby so you proceeded to shower the Pokémon with affection, cooing over them and snapping several pictures.

“Oh! Hello!” you greeted when Charizard approached you. “Thank you, by the way. For earlier.” You scratched the back of your neck. “I wasn’t lost though, haha. Ah, but…You’re just a gentleman aren’t you? Yes, you are. Yes, you are.”

Charizard growled happily when you scratched him underneath his snout.

“You’re just a big softie, huh?” you continued cooing.

“He really seems to like you.”

You jumped in surprise. “L-Leon! Hi!” you gasped, turning around. You fiddled with your fingers and laughed awkwardly. “I guess he does.” You gave Charizard one last pat and added, “He’s a good boy.”

Leon nodded with agreement, coming up beside you to pet his partner. “He sure is.”

“I, uh, thank you!” you blurted out. “For giving me a Pokémon. I never thought I’d have one.”

“Why do you say that?” he asked curiously.

You rubbed your arm, looking away. “I don’t think I have what it takes to be a Trainer,” you confessed. “I spent my time focusing on school and…I don’t even have a degree to show for it.”

“Hey, no need to beat yourself up.” Leon told you, placing a hand on your shoulder and squeezing reassuringly. Your blush from before came back and you started internally panicking. “You can always go back and finish school, and I can tell you’ll make a fine Trainer.”

You blinked. “R-Really?”

He nodded with a smile. “Of course! You have a way with Pokémon, that’s why I gave you Grookey.”

Your face lit up. “Th-Thanks!”

“If you’re done flirting, food’s ready.” Hop called over cheekily.

“W-We’re not flirting!” you denied immediately, stomping your foot while your face was beet red. “Ugh, you’re a jerk, Hop!”

He was too busy laughing to reply. You covered your face with your hands. Dinner was kabobs and you found yourself seated between Hop and Leon while they ate. You and Hop nudged each other playfully the whole time when a particularly rough nudge made you collide against Leon. You froze when he broke off the conversation he was having with the mothers and turned to you. He suddenly smirked and nudged you back. You soon found yourself being nudged back and forth by the both of them.

“What am I, your punching bag?!” you whined.

Hop chortled, “You’re just fun to mess with!”

“Am not! Take that back!”

“I would if it wasn’t true.”

“That’s it!” You pointed at him in mock anger. “You’re not my friend anymore.”

He gasped in pretend shock. “You can’t do that!”

You _hmph’ed_. “I can, and I just did!”

“No, forgive me!” Hop cried dramatically and hugged her.

You giggled, booping him on the nose. He grinned while Leon and their mothers laughed at your antics. You were walking home with your mom once dinner was over when you remembered Prija’s request. You hurried back to Hop’s house, glad to see Leon was still outside.

“Leon!” you called over. “Can I have your autograph?” You then waved your hands frantically. “I-It’s not for me! It’s for my friend, she’s a huge fan. And I sorta promised her I’d ask…”

He waved you off with a small smile. “I don’t mind.” He gestured toward his house. “Come in.”

You followed him inside and waited in the kitchen while he went upstairs. He came back down a little bit later and handed you a card that was signed and had his picture on it.

“My League Card,” he explained when he saw the way you looked at it with confusion.

“Oh! I’m sure she’ll love it, thank you so much!” You turned to leave then paused in the doorway. “Goodnight, and thanks again for everything.”

~*~*~*~*~

You woke up the next morning wondering if the events of yesterday were all just a dream. But when you saw Grookey curled up on a pillow beside you, you grinned. You could actually do what you had denied yourself for so long: becoming a Trainer. You snapped a quick pic of your partner and sent it to Hop. He replied back instantly with a picture of Sobble and Wooloo curled up together. You were about to reply back with heart eye emojis when your friend sent another text telling you to hurry up and come over. You shook your head with a smile at his eagerness.

“Good morning,” you cooed as you gently poked Grookey on the nose.

He stirred with a little yawn that melted your heart. You scooped him up and nuzzled him affectionately. Placing him back down, you left your bed to get ready for the day. Feeling lazy, you threw on a simple yellow sundress and a pair of white shoes. Putting your hair up in an over the shoulder braided ponytail, you grabbed Grookey and went downstairs. You called out to your mom where you were going before heading out. Hop was already waiting outside his house for you, waving when you walked up.

“Morning!” you chirped while letting Grookey down so he could play with Sobble and Wooloo. “I’m in love, Grookey is just too cute!”

“Glad to hear you’re getting along,” a new voice spoke, Leon walking out of the house with a smile. He placed his hands on his hips. “Listen up, new Trainers; believe in yourself and your Pokémon. If you trust in one another and carry on battling side by side, then someday you might even become worthy rivals for me, the unbeatable Champion!”

His eyes shifted over to you as he said this. You stiffened, growing uncomfortable under his stare. Your eyes looked anywhere but at him and you shifted from foot to foot awkwardly.

“What’re you looking at her for, Lee?” Hop voiced your unspoken question. “ _I’m_ the one who’ll be coming to challenge you. If you think Minette might be able to challenge you, then I guess she’s my first rival.”

“ _Me?!_ ” you blurted out, taking a step away from him.

He crossed his arms, staring you down. There was a playful glint in his golden eyes as he declared, “I don’t plan on losing to you and missing out on my chance to beat the unbeatable Champion! Just having a Pokémon with you doesn’t make you a real Trainer, you know. Proper Trainers raise their Pokémon up to be first-rate in battle too!”

“Oh, and you think you’re worthy of calling yourself a proper Trainer, Hop?” Leon interrupted, a challenge in his voice. “Guess I’ll be the judge of that. Let’s see how well you handle yourself in a battle against your friend, if she’s up for it.”

Not liking where this was going, you slowly backed away.

“Hey, where are you going?!” Hop called after you in surprise.

You rubbed your arm uncomfortably. “I, uh…”

“I’ll go easy on you if that’s what you’re worried about.”

You frowned. “That’s not—! Ugh, _fine_. I’ll battle you!”

Hop grinned wickedly and you internally winced.

What had you just agreed to?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Although I'm part of the Sobble Squad, I feel like Grookey is overshadowed by both Scorbunny and Sobble and he needs some love so Imma give it to him! *^*
> 
> Thanks again for the comments and kudos, it means the world to me~


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How's everyone liking the DLC? I was so happy to see Cubone was back, that's my baby! Oh, and Pokémon following you around again! I won't say anything else in case there are still some people who haven't played it yet, but I really enjoyed it and can't wait for Crown Tundra! (was also watching a bit of The Last of Us 2 walkthrough and crying at being reminded of how great Joel and Ellie's relationship is)
> 
> Here's the next chapter! We're slowly but surely getting to the start of the gym challenge!

**Chapter 4**

You bit your bottom lip as you stood across from Hop on the small playing field. Grookey looked just as ready for the battle as your friend was. You? Not so much. It also didn’t help that Leon was acting as the referee. You could feel anxiety start to swell up inside you.

“Looks like everyone’s on board, Pokémon and Trainers alike?” Leon was saying.

_No,_ you thought.

“Then let’s do this!”

“I’ve watched every match that Lee’s ever had,” Hop shook his clenched fists excitedly. “I’ve read every book and magazine he left behind at home too!”

“ _Every_ magazine?” you interrogated with a raised brow.

You heard Leon splutter at the implication and if you had looked over, you would have seen the small, embarrassed blush on his face. Hop rolled his shoulders before clasping his hands together. You gulped as the first Pokémon he called out was his Wooloo.

“Alright, Grookey, looks like we’re doing this. I believe in you.” you said.

Grookey gave you a quick nod before hopping down from your shoulder. The two Pokémon stared each other down awaiting their orders.

“A Pokémon battle it is then!” Hop announced eagerly. “I’ve got two Pokémon, think you can take us?”

_No._

“Wooloo, use tackle!” your friend called out.

“Grookey, move out the way!” you panicked. When he did you racked your brain for what moves he knew. He was still low-level so he wouldn’t know much. “Use scratch!”

You grinned when Grookey landed the hit, making Wooloo stumble back a little. Maybe you weren’t so bad a Trainer after all! You immediately took the thought back when Wooloo harshly knocked into your partner. Grookey shook off the hit and gave you a reassuring look as if sensing your alarm. You had him take on a defensive role, dodging and striking whenever the opening was there. The strategy worked in your favor and to your delight, your partner took down Wooloo with another well-timed scratch.

“You did it!” you cheered, and your partner looked back at you with a wide grin on his face.

“Ah, ah, ah.” Hop wagged a finger at you. “Did you forget that I’ve added another trusted partner to my team?”

“Fuck.”

Both Hop and Leon seemed startled at your outburst. You looked between them with confusion then rubbed your arm unsurely.

“What’d I do?” you asked.

“Never heard you curse before, mate.” Hop replied. “Surprised me.”

“I curse!" you retorted.

He laughed, “Guess you have to be riled up then, huh?”

You pursed your lip, “Are we battling or not?”

He narrowed his eyes and sent out Sobble. You perked up. Grookey had the type advantage!

You pointed while calling out, “Grookey, use vine whip!”

Grookey looked back at you in confusion. Hop broke out in laughter again while Leon scratched the back of his head. Your embarrassment came back with a force that made you want to turn tail and run.

“R-Right… You’re not…” You laughed awkwardly. “You’re not a Chespin.”

You glared as Hop continued laughing. You were already embarrassed enough as it was, you’d show him! You called out for Grookey to use scratch again. Hop gaped at you.

“H-Hey!” he whined.

You flicked him off, “That’s what you get for laughing!”

He waved a fist at you, “Water gun, Sobble!”

The move didn’t hurt Grookey as much. He did, however, become disgruntled from being drenched. You tried your best to think of a low-level grass move your partner would know, but you couldn’t think of anything. You went back to your defensive tactic from earlier. Sobble turned out to be faster that your partner though, and he would slow Grookey down with a stream of water before using pound. You noticed Grookey was tiring out and you winced when he fainted after being hit with another pound. You recalled him back into his poke ball and nuzzled it apologetically.

“Sorry, mate!” Hop said, hands on his hips and a big grin on his face. “Even if you did get your Pokémon direct from a champ like Lee, looks like I’m still the greatest!”

Instead of replying, you walked over and ruffled his hair. You laughed as he squawked out an indignant, “Hey!”

“You and your Pokémon all fought hard,” praised Leon. “Made me almost want to let out Charizard and join in on all the fun.”

“Please don’t,” you murmured.

That got a big laugh out of him and you felt your cheeks heating up.

“You have real promise, Minette,” Leon told you as he revived Grookey and told him what a good job he did. Grookey responded with a happy cry before climbing up to take a seat atop your head. “In fact, I’ve got a favor to ask you.”

You bit your bottom lip nervously as you asked, “What is it?”

He glanced over his shoulder at his brother who was congratulating his Pokémon on their win. “Be a real rival to Hop, would you? Push him, and make the both of you stronger.”

“I, uhm, okay!” You nodded. “Only because you asked.”

You froze when you realized what you said. You began to panic, but relaxed slightly when Leon just smiled and squeezed your shoulder. He turned away when Hop joined them.

“I already want to get stronger and stronger! You’ve seen me battle now, Lee so come on, you’ve gotta let me take on the Pokémon Gyms!”

You blinked curiously while Leon asked, “You? Join the Gym Challenge? You think you’re ready for the single greatest competition in the Galar region? Not putting the cart before the Rapidash there, little brother?” He closed his eyes thoughtfully. “If that’s really what you want to do, you two have a whole lot you need to learn about Pokémon; especially your friend.”

You jumped, “What?”

“Before you think about getting gym badges, best to think about getting a Pokédex.” he advised.

“Who said anything about me getting gym badges?” you blurted out.

Hop threw his arms around you, “Come on, Minette! You have to do the Gym Challenge with me! We’re rivals after all!”

You frowned at him, “I don’t know…”

He gave you puppy dog eyes, “Please? You’ll be my best friend.”

You gently shoved him off you. “I’m already your best friend, dingus.”

“So you’ll do it?” Hop asked, brightening.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Let’s go get those pokédexes then!” he announced, grabbing your hand.

Leon nodded approvingly. “That’s the kind of enthusiasm a Trainer needs. I’ll let the Professor know to expect you.”

As he walked off, you turned to Hop. “Will he get lost?”

“Probably, but Charizard will show him the way. Come on, let’s go tell your mum where we’re going.”

You didn’t even take a couple of steps before you heard a crashing sound. Exchanging alarmed looks, you raced off in the direction you heard the noise come from. The gate leading to the Slumbering Weald was wide open.

“The Wooloo from before isn’t there…” you murmured.

“It was tackling the fence pretty hard earlier, but I didn’t think it’d be able to break through.” Hop began to look worried. “But nobody’s supposed to go in there! I remember the professor’s granddaughter went in once, and she came back in a real state.”

“What do we do?” you asked, beginning to nervously bite at a fingernail.

“We have to save it!” he proclaimed.

You shook your head. “I’m all for making sure Pokémon don’t get hurt, but I also don’t have a death wish.”

“So you’re just going to leave the poor Wooloo all lost and alone in the forest?”

“…” You squared your shoulders. “Let’s do this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pokémon battles are really fun to write, ngl.
> 
> Good news, I have most of the chapters already written so I'll hopefully update soon! Bad news, I get distracted too easily. Again, thanks for the kudos, comments, those who have bookmarked, and to those reading! Until next time!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, all! So sorry for the wait, so have a semi-long chapter! Also, I updated the tags and changed the summary a little bit; be sure to check it out! ^^

**Chapter 4**

Entering the Slumbering Weald was like stepping into another world. Sunlight barely broke through the thick tree limbs overhead, fog swirling around the trunks and undergrowth. Hop led the way while you made sure to keep your friend in sight the further into the forest you went. You kept looking this way and that, paranoid even though you didn’t know why. You screamed when a Skwovet came bustling out from the bushes. Hop gave a startled jump, whirling around to make sure you were alright with a hand over his heart. When he saw the Skwovet he gave you a “Really?” look. Grookey hopped down from your shoulder and stood protectively in front of you. It only took two whacks from his stick for the Skwovet to flee.

“Warn me next time you decide to scream bloody murder,” Hop said. “Nearly gave me a bloody heart attack.”

“I’m sorry there’s a big ass Pokémon around here somewhere,” you huffed.

He rolled his eyes. You continued on, Grookey fending off any wild Pokémon that leapt out at you. You grabbed your friend’s hand as the fog grew thicker. There was still no sign of the Wooloo. What if it hadn’t gone into the Slumbering Weald after all? They stiffened when a loud howl was heard.

“D’you think that was a Pokémon crying out?” Hop wondered.

“I don’t know what it was, but that definitely didn’t sound like a Wooloo.” you said.

There was another howl and Hop tugged urgently on your hand.

“Come on, Minette, that Wooloo might be in real trouble!”

The fog grew heavier as they ran. You called Grookey back into his poké ball before you lost sight of your partner entirely. They slowed to a halt, looking around them.

“This is mad, I can’t even see my own hand in front of my face.” Hop muttered. “I think I get now why this place is off-limits.”

“We should head back,” you said nervously. “I don’t think the Wooloo is… Holy shit.”

You shakily pointed, and Hop looked. You were rooted to the spot in fear at the great beast emerging from the fog. It towered over them, massive and intimidating. Was this the scary Pokémon said to live in the Slumbering Weald? You took a slow step back as its yellow eyes stared them down. You’ve seen those eyes before… It threw its head back and gave a great howl that rattled their ears.

“Okay, since we’re about to die, I have a confession to make. Your brother’s hot.” you admitted.

“Everyone thinks he’s hot,” groused Hop. “He has fan art for Arceus sake!”

“Deadass?”

“Deadass.”

The strange Pokémon took a step toward them and you cowered behind Hop. He called out his Wooloo and told him to use tackle. The move went right through the Pokémon.

“No way!” he gasped. “The move had no effect on it?”

He got Wooloo to tackle it again, only for his partner to faze right through once more. You instinctively pulled Hop back when the Pokémon’s eyes began to glow. The fog around them suddenly began to thicken when the Pokémon gave a low growl.

“Let’s just go, Hop!” you pleaded. “You can’t beat it!”

He gritted his teeth, recalling his Wooloo. Another growl rang out and the fog grew thicker and heavier. The last thing you saw before being engulfed by white were the Pokémon’s yellow eyes fixated on you.

—

“Minette? Minette!”

You came to at the sound of your name. You blinked open your eyes, vision hazy. You laid there letting the world readjust. When your vision cleared a pair of golden eyes were staring down at you in concern.

“Hop…” you whispered then paused.

Your friend didn’t have long hair, or a beard, or…

You sat up suddenly, knocking your head against Leon’s. He recoiled with a hiss of pain. You winced.

“Shit! I’m so sorry, Leon!”

“At least you’re okay,” came a chuckle beside you.

Hop was there, looking just as out of it as you. You furrowed your brows. He squawked when you suddenly pinched his cheeks.

“Stop it, you’re not my mum!” he whined.

“What were you thinking taking on that weird Pokémon?!” you scolded.

Leon looked between the two of you, eyebrows pinched with confusion. “Would you two tell me what exactly is going on?” he demanded.

“We were tryin’ to rescue the Wooloo,” explained Hop.

“We never did find it…” you murmured.

“The little chap’s just fine,” Leon assured, nodding over to where Charizard and the Wooloo stood off to the side seemingly in a conversation.

“Hey, how’d you find us anyway, Lee?” Hop questioned. “You’re pants with directions.”

Leon frowned and crossed his arms. “Oh, that’s nice to hear coming from the little brother who had me worried sick.” He shot them both a disapproving look as he continued, “I’d been waiting ages for you two, and you never showed. _Of course_ I came looking for the both of you!”

“We just wanted to make sure the Wooloo was okay.” you feebly defended yourself and Hop.

He sighed heavily. “I know. It took a lot of courage for you to come here, and I understand well enough why you did.”

“At least the Wooloo is okay. Right, Minette?” Hop nudged you with a grin. “I thought we’d had it when that weird fog startled rolling in and that mad Pokémon attacked.”

“Attacked by some mad Pokémon?” echoed Leon. “What are you talking about, Hop?”

“It seemed loads stronger than any Pokémon I’ve ever seen, and it just had this sort of presence…”

You nodded with agreement, shivering as you remembered those yellow eyes.

“My moves didn’t even touch it,” continued Hop. “I mean really, they seemed to pass right through it.”

Leon crossed his arms, closing his eyes thoughtfully. “Your moves passed right through it? So, the fearsome Pokémon they say lives in the Slumbering Weald… Are they actually illusions or something?” When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was much warmer than before. “Get strong enough and maybe the two of you could reveal the truth someday. For now, let’s get out of this place. You’ll be alright now that I’m here with you.”

Hop hooked his arm around yours as you followed after his big brother.

“Even if we did get an earful from Lee, what an experience! This’ll make a pretty fine first page in the tale of my legend!” he gushed.

His grin was infectious and you found yourself returning it.

—

You made a quick pitstop at your house while the brothers went on ahead. You gave Fennekin a couple of pats on the head before entering the kitchen. Your mom looked up from the book she was reading.

“Hello, _ma chère_ ,” she greeted, smile widening when Grookey popped out of his poké ball. “And hello to you too, Grookey.”

Grookey gave a happy cry in return.

“I already heard the news from young Leon. I’m glad someone bothered to tell me!”

“I was going to tell you…”

Your mom giggled. “Off to Wedgehurst, are you? Here, some pocket money for your journey.” She pushed the cash into her daughter’s hands. “Now don’t go spending it all on clothes at the boutique.”

“I would never do such a thing!” you objected.

She gave you a disbelieving look and you smiled innocently. You gave her a quick hug before going out to meet up with Hop at Route 1. He perked up when he saw you heading toward him. He put his hands behind his head and grinned.

“You ready? This is the first big step, you know. My first step toward becoming the Champion!” He grabbed your hand and dragged you along. “I think I’m going to train up Sobble a bit,” he told you when you reached the outskirts of Wedgehurst. “You should get to the Pokémon Research Lab. It’s that building over there with the purple roof.”

“I remember, my friend showed me when she gave me a tour of the town.”

At the mention of Prija, you remembered you had yet to tell her the news. You pulled out your phone while Hop ran off. Your friend picked up after the first ring.

“Hey, Minnie!”

Smiling as you sat down on one of the benches outside the train station, you announced, “I got you that autograph you wanted.” You had to pull the phone away from your ear when Prija started screaming. “He gave me one of his league cards, I hope that’s okay.” you added once she calmed down.

“Are you kidding? That’s more than okay! His league cards are so hard to come by because everyone and their mum wants one!”

“Whenever you’re free, I’ll stop by and give it to you.” you told her.

“I’ll do you one better, I’ll come over and we can have a girl’s night!” Prija suggested instead.

You perked up. “That’d be so much fun!”

Your friend giggled then asked, “How is it being near Hop’s gorgeous brother?”

Your eyes rolled with exasperation. “Okay, I’ll admit that he’s attractive,” you began, “but he’s really nice and pretty laidback. He even gave me a Pokémon.”

“ _Seriously?!_ ”

“Yeah!” You called Grookey out of his poké ball and took a quick pic to send to Prija.

“What a cutie!” your friend gushed. “So are you gonna be a Trainer now?”

“Maybe? I know Hop wants me to join the Gym Challenge with him.”

“You should do it!” Prija told you seriously. “It’d be the perfect way for you to see all of Galar!”

“I don’t know, I don’t think I’m cut out for it.” you admitted softly. “Why don’t you come along? It’ll be so much fun!”

“I wish I could, but I can’t. I have to help mum with the farm while dad’s gone.”

You deflated. “Oh yeah…”

“But you totally got this! The Champion himself gave you a Pokémon, he must see potential in you!”

“He said the same thing too,” you murmured.

“See? So join the Gym Challenge!”

You laughed. “Alright, alright. I’ll do it. I have to go though, call ya later.”

“See ya! Snap a pic of Leon if you can.”

“Prija, that’s creepy!” you groaned.

You hung up and headed toward the Pokémon Research Lab. On your way you spotted Charizard being admired by some townspeople.

“The ultimate Charizard!” gushed a little girl.

You briefly thought of your friend back in Kalos who could mega evolve his Charizard. You hadn’t seen it in person, but he had sent you pictures. You closed your eyes and tapped a finger against your chin as you thought which was cooler: mega evolution Charizard or gigantamax Charizard? You broke out of your thoughts when you felt hot breath in your face.

“Hi, big boy.” you cooed when you realized it was just Charizard.

He gave a deep rumble reminiscent of a purr as you scratched him near his horns.

“Drinking in your adoring fans, huh?” you asked with a smile.

He followed you as you walked the rest of the way to the Pokémon Research Lab. You silently laughed when you passed a group of girls squealing to each other about Leon. Said man was waiting just outside the door to the lab, seemingly enjoying the breeze that blew. He looked up at the sound of Charizard’s stomping footsteps and grinned.

“There you are, and you have Charizard with you!”

“He’s such a good boy, I may have to take him with me.” you joked.

“He’d probably go with you too with how much you’ve been spoiling him,” Leon agreed with a deep laugh.

You shook your head. “I’m sure you spoil him way more than I do.”

Still chuckling, he gestured toward the lab. “In we go.”

Leon held the door open for you as you walked inside. The first thing you noticed were the amount of books that lined the shelves. Potted plants of different shapes and sizes decorated the lab and there was even a small kitchenette giving the place a homey-feeling.

“I’ve got to give it to Professor Magnolia, everything in here looks fascinating.” Leon commented.

“Bow wark!”

You glanced down and your eyes widened. Approaching them was a small yellow-and-white dog Pokémon, tongue lolling out as it panted excitedly. Leon crouched down and held out his hand toward it who scampered over to be petted.

“Cute!” you gasped, crouching down as well and reaching out to pet it. Your hand accidentally brushed up against Leon’s and it took all your self-control not to pull away as if stung, praying to Arceus that you weren’t blushing.

“What is it today, Leon?” asked an exasperated voice. You looked up to see a young, orange-haired woman regarding them from the upper floor with a hand on her hips. “Looking for info on another never-before-seen, super strong Pokémon? I wish you’d stop with these outlandish requests.”

She walked down the stairs toward them, her ponytail bouncing with each step. You felt a little intimidated at the sight of her; she was really pretty. The Pokémon pulled away to go stand beside her. Both you and Leon stood up at her approach.

“Good to see you too, Yamper.” Turning to you, Leon told you, “Yamper here is a real champ when it comes to helping you find your way around. He came to my rescue plenty of times back in the day, when I would get lost on the road.” The woman cleared her throat and he added, “That’s his Trainer, Sonia. What can I say about her?” He closed his eyes and titled his head to the side a bit, tapping a finger against his chin. “I like the way she cooks.”

Sonia’s green eyes narrowed. “Tsk, what kind of introduction was _that?_ Did you forget we were rivals during our Gym Challenge? Yamper wasn’t the only one helping you out, I did too!” She shook her head with a sigh. Her gaze slid over to you and it was then that she seemed to finally notice your presence. “Nice to meet you! Name’s Sonia, I’m the Professor’s assistant.”

You were too absorbed with the weird exchange between Sonia and Leon that you almost didn’t hear Sonia introducing herself. “Hey, I’m Minette.”

“She’s new to training,” Leon added. “Set her on the right path, would you?”

He squeezed your shoulder and gave you one last smile before turning and leaving. Sonia watched him go with a small grimace.

“Who does he think I am?” she grumbled to herself but you heard.

“Did you have a bad breakup?” you questioned curiously.

“Huh? Oh, no, no, no!” Sonia waved her hands frantically. “Even if I did have feelings—which I don’t!—he’s too busy with his head in the clouds to notice.” She scrutinized you, making you fidget a little. “Do you like him?”

“I wouldn’t say that,” You didn’t meet her gaze as you admitted, “He’s nice to look at though.”

“Yeah…” Sonia coughed suddenly, her cheeks a little red. “You need a Pokédex, right? Can I see your phone for a sec?” She took it when you handed it over. “Oh, you have a Rotom phone. Hey there, Rotom.” She giggled when the Pokémon gave a happy _bzzzrt_ in reply. She plugged the phone into the computer on her desk, humming a tune while tapping away. “There you are,” She smiled as she gave you back your phone. “That Pokédex is a gift from my Gran. Could you let her know you received it? She lives in the house along Route 2 right by the lake.”

You nodded. “I will. Thanks so much, Sonia!”

Sonia waved you off with a smile. _I wonder where she got those cute heart accessories for her hair from?_ you wondered as you left the lab. You released Grookey and pulled out your new Pokédex to scan him and see his move set.

“Oh, the move was called branch poke.” you murmured to yourself as you read over the information. You smiled down at your partner. “I’ll be able to command you better in battle now.”

Before heading for the Professor’s house, you stopped by the berry stand to buy a couple of oran berries. You gave one to Grookey who happily munched on it. You spotted a familiar mop of purple hair when you reached Route 2. Hop was grinning to himself as he held up a poké ball, unaware of you creeping up on him.

“Whatcha catch?”

Hop gave a startled jump and whirled around. He soon relaxed when he realized it was just you. “Why don’t you find out in a battle?”

You shook your head. “No thanks, keep your secrets.”

“Have you thought about the Gym Challenge?” he suddenly asked.

“Kinda?"

“Really?! Will you do it then?”

“Eh…” You trailed off when your friend clasped his hands together and proceeded to give you a puppy dog look. You inwardly cursed, knowing there was no way you could say no to that face. “I’ll give it a shot, I guess.”

“Yes!” Hop surged forward to wrap you up in a hug, spinning you around. There was a small frown on his face when he pulled back. “There’s just one problem: you have to be endorsed if you want to participate, and Lee doesn’t seem to think I’m up to snuff. So, I’m thinking I ought to talk to the Professor and see if she can help.”

“I’m sure she can,” you agreed and gave him a small pat on the back.

He nodded determinedly to himself then challenged you to a race to see who could reach the Professor’s house first. You took off side-by-side bypassing the wild Pokémon in the tall grass. You were soon skidding to a halt when you thought you heard a cry of pain. Hop continued on while you hung back, looking around. The sound came again, and your eyes fell on a nearby clump of bushes. Getting down on all fours, you peered underneath the leafy stems. A Nickit cowered back, holding one of his forepaws close to his body.

“You poor dear,” you murmured. “Did you hurt your paw? Here.”

You pulled out an oran berry from your knapsack and held it out. The Nickit studied you suspiciously. You merely smiled, nodding encouragingly toward the offered treat. After a while the Nickit limped forward, sniffing the berry before scooping it up into his mouth. You cautiously reached out to pet him and he thankfully didn’t pull away. You gently picked him up and went straight toward the Pokémon Center. Your leg bounced nervously while the Nickit was being healed, and you decided to scroll through social media to keep yourself distracted. The nurse at the front counter soon called your name.

“Will the Nickit be okay?” you asked worriedly.

“Just fine,” the nurse replied with a smile.

“Thank you so much,” you said gratefully as you took the Nickit back.

The sun was beginning to set when you left the Pokémon Center. You raced toward the Professor’s house as fast as you could without jostling the Nickit too much.

“Sorry, sorry!” you gasped as you ran up to Hop.

“Did you get lost?” he asked teasingly.

You stuck your tongue out at him then lifted up the Nickit. “I found him hurt and took him to the Pokémon Center.” you explained.

Hop’s golden eyes grew wide. “You found a _shiny_?”

“A what?”

“A shiny! They’re super rare! What is this beginner's luck?”

You looked down at the Nickit. “They’re not supposed to be this color?”

Hop shook his head and you smiled to yourself. Leon broke off the conversation he was having with the Professor, the two turning to you when you walked up. When he saw your shiny Nickit, his eyes lit up.

“Look at you, finding shiny Pokémon!” he praised.

You ducked your head shyly, petting the Nickit.

“Welcome, young Trainers.” The Professor regarded them warmly. “My name is Magnolia. Let’s head inside, shall we?”

They followed her inside and into the kitchen. You admired the house; it was cute and cozy and the decorative plants were a nice touch.

“I see Wooloo has made some new friends,” Magnolia told Hop then looked at you. “And you must be Minette. I trust you received the Pokédex from Sonia? I’m sure you'll have it complete in no time.”

“You already know about Dynamaxing right, Minette?” Leon asked. “Professor Magnolia’s been doing research into the Dynamax phenomenon for years and years. It takes a proper understanding of the thing if you plan to use Dynamaxing to the fullest.”

“There you go again, Leon, always talking about Pokémon.” the Professor teased with a shake of her head. “There are other things that are worth knowing about too, you know. Like how many different types of tea there are.”

You raised your hand. “I wanna know about the tea."

“Hey, Professor, could you do us a favor?” Hop piped up. “Help me convince Lee he should endorse us for the Gym Challenge?”

“Why wouldn’t you endorse them, Leon?” Professor Magnolia asked curiously.

“They only just started out as Pokémon Trainers. There’s still loads they don’t know yet.” he explained.

“That’s not true!” you blurted out. When all eyes turned to you, you shuffled your feet nervously. “Well, it’s true about me, but not Hop. He knows a lot and I think he’s a great Trainer.”

Hop gave his brother puppy dog eyes. Leon looked between you two before sighing with an amused smile.

“Tell you what, let’s see if you can show me such a brilliant battle that I’m left with no choice but to endorse you.”

“About that tea, Professor?” you questioned quickly but Hop was already pulling you outside.

_Me and my big mouth!_

Hop was vibrating with excitement as you stood across from each other on the playing field Professor Magnolia had in her front lawn. You were so not looking forward to embarrassing yourself again. You had to at least try, for Hop’s sake. Nickit perked up in your arms.

“Seems the chap wants to battle,” Hop said with amusement.

“Hm? Are you sure, we just got your paw looked after.” you told the fox Pokémon.

Nickit nodded.

“Alright, but don’t push yourself too hard.”

He hopped out of your arms to stand opposite of Hop’s trusted Wooloo when your friend called his partner out onto the field.

“I’m rather interested in seeing how you two young Trainers battle too,” Professor Magnolia announced as she walked up to stand beside Leon.

Anxiety hit you like a Hyper Beam. Not only were you going to humiliate yourself in front of Leon, _again_ , but the Professor too? You really should’ve kept your mouth shut back in the house. Hop crossed his arms with a determined expression on his face.

“Think you've gotten stronger? My team and I will put you to the test and see!”

_Can you not,_ you thought. You took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Quick attack!” you ordered, thrusting out your arm.

Nickit leaped into action, moving far too quickly for Hop’s Wooloo to dodge out the way. Hop had his partner retaliate with a tackle that made Nickit flinch back from the force of it. You worriedly chewed on your bottom lip. You briefly thought about switching him out for Grookey, but held faith in him. You made him use another quick attack then beat up to finish off Wooloo. Nickit wasn’t looking too good when Hop called out Sobble, the fox Pokémon managing to get in a beat up before fainting to a water gun. You recalled him while telling him what a good job he did. Grookey came out and you shot Hop a small smirk.

“Branch poke!”

“Well, look at you knowing about type matchups!” praised Hop.

You gave a small bow. “Thank you, thank you.”

Sobble went down after another branch poke. Hop called out his recently caught Rookidee which, as you found out the hard way, had the advantage against Grookey. Your poor partner put up a good fight, but he was no match for the Rookidee’s pecks. You called him back with a heavy heart.

“Undefeated!” Hop crowed. “And my Pokémon’s moves were seriously on point!”

“Good job,” you congratulated and high-fived him.

“Hop, Minette.” Leon approached them. “Well after seeing a match like that one, I suppose I’ve little choice but to give you both an endorsement as Champion.”

_Eh?_

You stared in surprise at the letter he held out for you. Was he being serious right now? He gave you a nod of encouragement and you shakily accepted it from him.

“Yes! Thank you, Lee!” whooped Hop. “I swear I’m going to win my way through the Gym Challenge to reach you!”

“You’re both still a little rough around the edges, but that was a proper battle. I look forward to seeing more exciting battles from you two in the future!” Leon said.

Hop shook you urgently. “Alright, Minette, you and I are gonna train up against one another to aim for that Champion’s title!”

“O-Okay…”

He stopped shaking you when he noticed something red streak across the sky, making you look up as well. Whatever it was, it crashed into the ground close by. You both scampered over to investigate. It turned out to be two small stones, dark purple in color and giving off a faint red glow. Hop picked one up, turning it this way and that in his hand.

“Hey, these are Wishing Stars!” Turning to you, he excitedly informed, “Do you know what this means? We can Dynamax our Pokémon! They’re gonna be massive!”

“Trust you to pull something like this,” Leon walked over with Professor Magnolia. “They say Wishing Stars fall down for those who have a true wish in their heart, you know.”

Hop perked up. You immediately slapped your hand over his mouth when he opened it.

“You can’t say your wish, or it won’t come true!” you warned.

Professor Magnolia chuckled. “Those Wishing Stars are composed of a curious sort of rock containing unknown power. They are one of the most precious resources we have here in the Galar region. But they won’t do a thing for you in that state. Give them to me, and I’ll have you sorted.”

“Yes, please give Minette and I the power to Dynamax our Pokémon!” begged Hop.

You just huffed in amusement and handed the other stone over to the Professor. From behind her, you saw Sonia approaching.

“Hi, Sonia!” you greeted with a wave, making everyone turn around.

The woman smiled. “Seems like I came back home right in time for all the excitement. Why don’t I fix us all some dinner? You lot must be hungry, and I’ve been totally obsessed with making the latest curry trends.”

Hop eagerly followed her back into the house. You hung back, walking over to sit at the bench that looked over the lake. You ran your thumb across the seal on the endorsement letter before tearing it open. Your cheeks grew warm as you read it over. How did Leon figure out your last name? Your mom did mention that he talked to her. Did that mean he had already planned on endorsing you and Hop?

“Minette?”

You jumped, holding the letter to your chest. Leon looked at you with concern.

“I-I thought you went inside?” you squeaked.

“I realized you weren’t with us and wondered where you went,” he told you.

“I wanted to take in the scenery for a little bit,” You looked over the lake. “It’s so nice and quiet out here. I wouldn’t mind living like this, just taking care of flowers and Pokémon. Maybe take a boat ride across the lake and watch the sunset.” You gave a small laugh. “Sorry, I know that sounds incredibly boring.”

“No, no.” objected Leon. “That sounds nice actually.”

“Really?” you asked in surprise.

“Hey, I’m still a country boy at heart.” he joked.

You giggled. “Hey, uhm, are you sure about this?” You held up the endorsement letter. “I know you asked me to be Hop’s rival, but he’s beaten me twice already. I don’t think I’m very good rival material.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself,” he consoled. “You’re just starting out as a Trainer.”

“I know, I just,” You sighed heavily, “worry about these things.”

“Hop believes in you, and I believe in you. So believe in yourself too, okay?”

You gaped at him when he gave you a warm smile, golden eyes soft and the setting sun highlighting his features. Your heart began beating wildly in your chest. Damn, he was beautiful. He then blinked and waved a hand in your face, asking if you were alright. You nodded quickly and gave him a small smile.

“Let’s go join the others,” Leon stood up. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

You chuckled, standing up as well. You followed behind him more slowly as he took the lead. Your heart wouldn't stop thumping and your cheeks were warm. _Don't catch feelings,_ you told yourself. _He's just your friend's brother, that's all._

At least you got to drink some tea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> During my Sword playthrough, my friend was gracious enough to catch me a shiny Nickit I named Ghost so I wanted to include him in the fic~
> 
> I want to try and finish this fic before the Crown Tundra DLC comes out, but with my track record it seems unlikely; its just been hard lately finding the inspiration to write.
> 
> As always, thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the next chapter!


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